Creating Keyword Bot Rules

The Keyword Bot sends instant auto-replies when customers use specific trigger words in their messages. Ask about “pricing” and they get your rate info. Text “hours” and they get your schedule. It’s fast, free (no AI credits used), and completely predictable — you write the exact reply for each keyword.

Keyword rules are checked before the AI Assistant, so they act as a fast first line of response for your most common questions.

How to Set It Up

1. Go to Settings > AI & Automation and find the Keyword Bot card (“Auto-reply when messages match trigger words”).
2. Turn the toggle on to enable the Keyword Bot (it’s off by default).
3. Click the expand chevron to open the card’s settings.
4. Click Add Keyword to create your first rule.
5. Enter the trigger word or phrase (e.g., “pricing”, “hours”, “address”).
6. Choose a match type:
   • Contains — triggers if the message includes the word anywhere (best for broad topics like “pricing” or “hours”)
   • Exact Match — triggers only if the message is exactly that word (best for specific commands like “STOP” or “YES”)
   • Starts With — triggers if the message begins with the word
7. Select which channels this rule applies to — SMS, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, or any combination.
8. Write your reply — this is exactly what the customer will receive.
9. Click Save.

Repeat for each keyword you want to cover.

How Keywords and the AI Assistant Work Together

When a message comes in, Kairvio checks your keyword rules first. If a rule matches, the Keyword Bot sends its reply and the AI Assistant doesn’t get involved. If no keyword matches, the message passes to the AI Assistant (if enabled).

This means keywords act as fast, free first responders for your most predictable questions, while the AI handles everything else.

Tips

• Start with your top 5 to 10 questions. Think about what customers ask most: pricing, hours, location, service area, booking. Build keywords for those first.
• Use Contains for broad topics. A “Contains: pricing” rule will trigger for “What’s your pricing?” and “Can you send me pricing info?” and “pricing for lawn care.”
• Use Exact Match for commands. Words like “STOP”, “YES”, or “CONFIRM” should be exact matches to avoid accidental triggers.
• Include merge tags in your replies. Use {{customer_name}} and {{business_name}} to keep responses personal.
• Review and expand over time. Check your inbox for questions that come up repeatedly and add new keyword rules to handle them.